Professionals: Dennis LeLoup

Dennis LeLoup is currently the school librarian at Avon Intermediate School (Grades 5-6), with additional responsibilities at Avon Middle School and Hickory Elementary in Avon, Indiana. This is his 35th year as a school librarian and his seventeenth in Avon Community Schools (1995 to present).

Media Center at Avon Intermediate School (Primary location)
Media Center at Avon Middle School (Works there one day per week, shared assignment with 4 other librarians)
Media Center at Hickory Elementary School (Liaison assignment, works with the library assistant - few hours each Friday morning)

Dennis's previous experience includes 5 1/2 years as an educational consultant for the Office of Learning Resources within the Indiana Department of Education (1989-1995), 11 1/2 years as an elementary school librarian in Vigo County Schools (1978-1989), and one year as a school librarian for Northern Community Schools of Tipton County (1975-1976).

Dennis has received three degrees from Indiana State University, including a Bachelor of Arts degree (1975), Master of Library Science (1977), and Master of Science (1988). Dennis is active in professional organizations at state and national levels. Memberships include ILF/AIME, ALA, AASL, and ALSC. He is the current Vice-President of the Indiana Library Federation and will assume the President's position for 2012 (The gavel transfer will occur at the Fall 2010 ILF Conference). Dennis is a past-President of AIME (1995-1996), past Region 3 AASL Director and Director-Elect (1997-2001), former AASL Treasurer (2005-2008), and has served six years on the ALA Council (2002-2005, 2006-2009). He has also been a Director-at-Large for AASL and is serving another three year term on the ALA Council. Denis has served on various AIME, ALA, AASL, and ALSC committees, including chair of AASL's Legislative Committee, ALSC's Liaisons With National Organizations Serving Children and Youth Committee, and Indiana's National Library Week Committee. As AIME President-Elect, he was the State Conference Chair for the 1995 conference. He has also worked on the editorial boards of the former Indiana Media Journal and Knowledge Quest, served on the advisory board of Linworth Publishing, and worked as a reviewer for several national publications. Dennis also participates often in ALA’s Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C., since advocacy and communication are important tools for all librarian.

Download and read an online article by Dennis LeLoup:

(Mar/Apr 2009). The Many FIbers of Reading (PDF document). Library Media Connection; 10-12.

"Since children and young people are young temporarily and people forever, as librarians we have a responsibility to connect them with their world, while securing and protecting their access to knowledge.  If they are going to connect with the world, and the resources in the world, we must prepare them on how to use and access these resources, thus ensuring their future success with other resources and initiatives."
Dennis Leloup (Sept. 2009, ALA, 60 Second Speech articulating the value of library service to children).